Despite living in the midst of abundance of gold, India’s internationally- renowned spiritual guru Sri Satya Sai Baba never developed a liking for gold, gold ornaments and silver articles but his penchant to use the international brands of perfumes was there for everyone to see.
In the latest rounds of inventories conducted by the revenue officials in the personal chambers of the Yajurmandiram where the spiritual master lived since 2005, officials found sealed and untouched boxes containing gold and silver items that came as gifts to the Baba from his devotees in India and abroad.
A carton containing 75 silver glasses each weighing 700 gm and a box containing two gold garlands each weighing 6 to 7 kg were found by the revenue officials during the recent inventories. “The boxes were sealed and untouched till we found them,” said the officials. They were obviously gifted to Sai Baba by his devotees on the occasion of his 75th birth day but Baba never cared to open them.
The officials also found imported shaving kits, perfumes, scents, toiletries, shampoos, soaps and napkins, apart from several packets of dry fruits. Thousands of gold rings, diamonds, around 10,000 pure silk saris, 40 pairs of saffron robes, a huge number of silk dhotis and around 5,000 imported watches were found in the personal chambers of Sai Baba who never allowed any member of the Satya Sai Central Trust inside his room except Mr Satyajit.
---------------------------------------------------------
Baba developed liking for perfumes only
---------------------------------------------------------
Every one thought his bed was made of gold and silver but it was not true. It was only modern cot designed to move in any direction for his convenience.
“Whenever he used to give darshan to his devotees or discourses, he was wearing new saffron robes and sporting costly and imported perfumes presented to him by his devotees. But he never cared for the gold jewellery. Whatever the gift, gold or silver, he used to push them into a corner without even bothering to open them,” said Yajurmandiram sources.
“It is a fact that he never exhibited interest in wearing gold jewellery. In his view, it has no value. Among all the gifts presented to him by the devotees, he liked only the perfumes and nothing else,” said a devotee.
